On Sunday, President Trump agreed in principle to a deal with Japan that would give Japanese people greater access to American agriculture and wheat farmers, like corn growers and pork producers, are excited.
“We are very happy that this agreement will end the growing competitive cost advantage that Canadian and Australian wheat imports got under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement,” said U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Chairman and Paulding, Ohio, farmer Doug Goyings. “We want to say thank you to the negotiators at the U.S. Trade Representative office and at the USDA trade and foreign affairs office for working so hard to prevent more export losses for farmers like me.”
In a joint statement the National Association of Wheat Growers and U.S. Wheat Associates also called Japan a very large and crucial market for American farmers.
“We applaud the Administration for completing this much needed trade deal with Japan,” stated National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President and Lavon, Tex., farmer Ben Scholz. “This is a huge win for those of us who grow wheat and all U.S. farmers and ranchers.”
“Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud and USDA Under Secretary Ted McKinney deserve special recognition for their efforts,” said USW President Vince Peterson. “They immediately understood what was at stake for wheat farmers without a trade deal and made this outcome a priority. We also thank government officials and our flour miller customers in Japan for their forward-thinking approach to the situation.”
Under the agreement, the average annual sales to the Japanese wheat market will be about 3 million metric tons that are currently worth about $700 million per year.
According to a news release, the USW and NAWG believe that resolving such trade issues can again lift the rural economy by opening new markets for our wheat and other agricultural exports and increasing access in existing markets. The organizations would now welcome new trade negotiations such as with countries in the rapidly growing Southeast Asian and South American regions.
You can also see how lawmakers reacted to the deal here.
